What you should never avoid post workout

While these are perfectly safe things to do after a workout, there is a list of complete Nos that you need to keep in mind, because ignoring certain precautions can all but negate the success you just had at the gym, or leave you in a bad spot when getting ready to come back the next day. So, here is a list of things to avoid and never forget after sweating it out at the gym. 

Never skip your stretch! Taking a few moments to stretch after a workout will prevent your muscles from contracting, and instead allow them to rebuild, giving you the maximum benefit of your exercise. Plus, stretching also helps you relax and can reduce muscle soreness and stiffness.

You generally don’t have time to get enough water when you’re busy lifting and lunging, so it’s essential you drink more water than normal right after to re-hydrate. Drinking water after you exercise helps you to replace the fluids lost during physical activity to ensure you stay properly hydrated. When you work up a sweat during exercise, your body loses large amounts water which can lead to dehydration if you don’t replace them by drinking water and other fluids.

You just burned a bunch of calories, so you deserve a treat, right? But that doesn’t mean you should go all out binging on everything you find. In fact, you should aim to give your body what it needs — not necessarily what your brain is telling you that you want. The list of foods to avoid is long, and includes candy, pastries, fast food — pretty much anything that common sense would tell you to avoid. What you should be eating are things with plenty of fibre and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals to help your body rebuild. So, skip the donuts, and have a protein shake and a banana.

Though your body may be exhausted after an intense workout, resist the urge to take a nap. Going to sleep directly after exercising won’t allow your body to relax and cool down. It’s similar to slamming on the brakes in a car. Your muscles are still fatigued and overworked — it’s important to take an hour and a half to two hours to truly cool down before resting.